The False Rider
by xXRetrobotXx
Summary: Post-Inheritance. A dragon's Rider dies, and the dragon lives on. He seeks his true Rider. Rating may change.
1. Background Knowledge

**Disclaimer: I don't own Eragon or anything mentioned in the stories/movies. **

**Warning: Spoilers. If you haven't read the Inheritance book, don't say I didn't warn you.**

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**(A week after leaving Alagaësia, Eragon's P.O.V.)**

"What?" asked Eragon, his head snapping up from the paper he was reading.

"The orange egg has begun to hatch to one of the natives of this village," Blödhgarm repeated. Eragon sprang to his feet, abandoning the paper and pushing his way past the furry blue elf. Exiting the cabin the villagers had loaned him, he made his way to the crowd that had gathered in the village's center. It seemed like everyone in the small village was here to witness the event. In the center of the crowd was two young girls. One looked like she had been roughly pushed down by the other, who was gazing intently at the rocking egg.

The group had departed Alagaësia a week ago, traveling down the Edda River in the _Talìta_, only to come across a small village on the banks of the river. This village was not a part of Alagaësia, but they had heard of Galbatorix's evil reign and his downfall. They had welcomed the group graciously and provided a few cabins for their use.

A rather loud _crack!_ brought Eragon back down to earth, and he resumed watching the egg. It had managed to roll over on its side. A few cracks decorated the flame-orange sides. An even louder crack produced a small hole in one side. The egg was silent for a few moments, then broke cleanly in two, revealing a dragon that was unmistakably male and just as orange as the egg that had encased it moments ago.

The dragon shook its head, then looked up at the excited people surrounding it. It made a squeak and started to run toward the girl on the ground, only to be intercepted by the larger girl's hand. A bright flash revealed that the girl who'd touched him was branded with the gediway ignisia. He squawked as he found himself lifted up into the girl's arms rather roughly.

Eragon shook his head at the girl's actions. She was obviously the girl who got her way around here, and was very spoiled. Why the dragon had chosen her, he didn't know.

"What is your name, girl?" he asked, stepping up to her. She didn't look too intimidated at the sight of him.

"Ursula," she responded haughtily. Eragon led Ursula away from the group to begin her training then and there.

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Nearly two months later, the new Dragon Hold had been built on top of a medium-height cliff. It was named 'Shur'tugal Fell', which meant Dragon Rider Mountain. There was an expanse of caves, and the whole area seemed more homely once a stone castle-like building had been built for the others to find shelter from the elements.

The orange dragon had been dubbed Fireclaw, and Eragon's first opinion of Ursula was correct. She was a spoiled brat. She had demanded the best of everything (which she wasn't provided- that made her throw a temper tantrum at which point Blödhgarm had thrown her off the cliff, saving Eragon the trouble of having to do it himself. Fireclaw had grudgingly saved her. Even he didn't really like her), rarely focused on her studies, and complained about _everything_.

Eragon tried to teach her that Dragon Riders weren't supposed to be comfortable themselves, they were supposed to help others.

"But everyone says they were like royalty," she whined. "This isn't how royalty lives." Eragon had retired to his room early that day with a massive headache.

_She's enough to make Galbatorix look almost sane some days,_ Eragon complained to Saphira.

_I'll deal with her. You need to rest,_ Saphira told him.

Eragon tried to rest, but was getting tidbits of what Saphira was doing to Ursula through the bond.

Saphira grabbed Ursula with her claws. _You are a nuisance, _Saphira growled at the child. She held Ursula up against the wall, and the human looked around for someone to help her. No one even bothered to look over. Even Fireclaw was sitting in his bed (which was just a pad of cloth), licking his abnormally sharp claws.

_Aren't you going to help me?_ Ursula whined. Fireclaw paused for a moment, thinking.

_No, _he said, returning to grooming himself. _Saphira's right, you whine too much._

"I'm sorry, I'll work harder on it, I swear," Ursula said. Saphira growled at her before setting her back on the ground and turning to go back to Eragon's quarters.

After that, Ursula was the same haughty girl, unless Saphira was in the room. Then she feigned innocence. Somehow, Eragon found this more annoying then her acting like a brat.

The next time he saw Ursula (which was all too soon for him) he stopped her, asking for a word.

"You really need to stop acting like a brat. I won't hesitate to kick you out of the academy," he threatened.

"Well fine then. I was about to deliver good news for you." Ursula turned away.

"What news?" Eragon asked, his patience for her already gone for the day.

"I'm not telling, she said, turning her back on Eragon. He growled. Fireclaw, who was rarely in Ursula's company alone, was standing beside her. He nudged her with his snout.

_One of the wild dragon eggs is hatching,_ he told Eragon.

_You weren't supposed to tell him,_ Ursula whined. Fireclaw snorted and headed for the hatchery, not waiting for his rider.

Eragon smirked. _Fireclaw, one. Ursula, zero,_ he thought as he made his way after the orange dragon.

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**Author's Note: Ursula's a witch, isn't she? This chapter takes place 150 years in the past from my story, so think of it as background knowledge for the story. Thanks for reading!**


	2. 150 Years Later

**Author's Note: Fireclaw is almost as large as Glaedr now, and Saphira is about the same as Belgabad (see page 499 in Inheritance for the size reference).**

**(150 years after Shur'tugal Fell was built, Fireclaw's P.O.V.)**

Fireclaw growled, annoyed that the rabbit had escaped his teeth, but not feeling up to a chase for such a measly snack. He rolled over, and if it was possible, stretched out even more to allow the sun to soak all the way into his bones. A noise from inside of his cave made him unwillingly raise his head. Seeing it was just a rock that had fallen, he repositioned himself on the ground.

He was glad Ursula had perished a week after the first wild dragon had hatched. It might seem harsh, but Fireclaw knew that she was not his true Rider.

***FLASHBACK***

_The rain came down in sheets, obscuring anyone's ability to see more than 25 feet in any direction. Lightning flashed, revealing Ursula sitting out by the edge of the cliff. She had her knees up to her chest, her head resting on her knees. Fireclaw could feel through the fake-bond how upset she was. The bond wasn't real enough for him to know what she was upset about, though. He unwillingly went out into the rain, which drenched him instantly. He thought maybe she was feeling some remorse for her bratiness toward everyone. One can hope, right?_

What is on you're mind, Little One?_ Fireclaw asked through the fake-bond. Ursula looked up, not realizing he was there. She wiped away some tears that had been masked by the rain._

It's just.._ she sniffled. _Eragon's being rude. He won't let me contact my parents back at the village. _Fireclaw realized she hadn't seen them in a few months. And these humans could be terribly homesick at times. He put a wing over her head, blocking the rain from hitting her. She had let her guard down, leaving her vulnerable, which was rare, even around him. And for once, she had a good reason to be upset._

That is rude. I'll talk to him and see if you can contact them, _Fireclaw said, attempting to comfort her. _One question, why do you want to talk to them?

_Ursula stopped shaking for a moment. She looked up at him, the expression on her face asking 'How can you not know?' _They'll let me have that vanity table. They always give me everything I want.

_Fireclaw recoiled as if he had been struck. She was still being selfish. She only wanted to contact them for petty objects that had no use up here. His wing snapped back to his body, letting her once again get soaked._

Is that all you think about is yourself?! _He knew some of his anger would get through to her, even though it was a weak, fake-bond. _All of the elves, Eragon, and the other dragons have worked hard to get rid of Galbatorix and provide a safe place for people to live, and you want a stupid table. You had me thinking there actually was some remorse in that human body of yours! _Fireclaw shook his head and retreated back inside. Ursula watched him retreat, a look of shock on her face, the truth of his words getting through to her._

***END FLASHBACK***

Fireclaw snorted as he recalled that night. He rolled over again and tried to get comfortable. His efforts were fruitless, so he stood and shook off the dirt that had attached to his scales. He eyed his cave and decided to go for a flight.

Up in the air, Fireclaw wheeled around, feeling the air whistle over his body. No birds were foolish enough to come within three feet of his muzzle, but a large crow did fly alongside him for a stretch. Realizing he was getting rather close to Shur'tugal Fall, Fireclaw did a corkscrew and flew in the opposite direction.

***FLASHBACK***

_Unknown to Ursula, Fireclaw was still watching her through the rain. He had been since she had explained her need to call her parents. The rain still fell, but not quite as hard. She suddenly stood up, intending to head back inside. A flash of lightning illuminated something Fireclaw couldn't see, but obviously horrified Ursula. She took a step backwards, momentarily forgetting she was on the edge of a cliff. She realized she was a second later, but was too late. She plunged downward, too terrified to scream._

_Fireclaw hated her, but didn't want her to die when he could do something about it. He spread his fiery wings and leapt off the side after her. She saw him coming and her eyes lit up a bit. Pulling his wings in to his body, Fireclaw fell faster. But he knew he was to late an instant before she hit the ground. He spread his wings before he hit the ground to avoid repeating what she did._

_Blood gushed from a fatal wound in her head. She opened her eyes at his approach. Sadly, she smiled at him. He could see, oddly enough, sorrow in her eyes._

I'm sorry I forced the bond on you, _Ursula said, life fading from her rapidly. Fireclaw looked at her, slightly confused. _There was another girl who touched your egg before me. I shoved her out of the way and made it look like you chose me,_ Ursula explained weakly. _

I'm sorry I treated you roughly, _Fireclaw replied, knowing she seconds away from death. Ursula smiled, a genuine one, as the fall took its toll on her. Even through the fake-bond, Fireclaw could feel her life force fade into oblivion and her pain. He liked this Ursula better than the one that usually pestered him. He threw his head back and roared, a strong sound for a three month old dragon._

Fireclaw?_ Glaedr said, his presence suddenly blooming into the orange dragon's consciousness. The older dragon knew immediately what had happened. _I'm sending Eragon to you now.

No,_ Fireclaw said suddenly, making Glaedr pause in contacting the Rider. The Eldunar__ì__ sent him a questioning thought. _If Eragon finds out she wasn't my true Rider, who knows what would happen?

_The older dragon acknowledged the truth in Fireclaw's words. He was the only other one who knew of the fake-bond. _Where will go then?

I don't know yet. Maybe to find my true Rider, _Fireclaw replied, suddenly wanting to leave the place and never return. He spread his wings in preparation to take off._

Very well. But take these memories. They'll help you know more of the ancient language to teach to your true Rider if you choose to not return. _Glaedr poured the memories into Fireclaw, who sent a thankful thought to the Eldunarì._ Not go, swiftly. The others were alerted by you roar and coming to find you.

_With that, Fireclaw took off, glancing back one last time at the fallen form of his fake Rider. Then he spun around and dove the rain as an orange blur._

***END FLASHBACK***

Fireclaw shook himself, willing the flashbacks to cease while he was in the air. He didn't feel like crashing today. Mentally gathering himself together, he continued his flight.


	3. The Mysterious Girl

**(Shur'tugal Fell, Eragon's P.O.V.)**

Eragon stood in the same village that they'd been at a century and a half ago when Fireclaw had hatched. He had hopes that another egg could hatch. Arya had expressed the needs for Alagaësia to get at least a half trained Rider there to help with the rebels. Eragon had sent Azelg and Flamewing back to finish training under Arya and help. Now he needed someone else to train alongside Yale and Blackflame, and Fanûr and Redstreak.

Eragon went through the list of the dragons hatched in his head. After Fireclaw, the next dragon had been a wild purple one, who had named herself Hćedaht, (Shuh-dot), which was a word in the dragon language. Eragon thought that their language had been long forgotten, but Hćedaht had a gift for remembering things that had been forgotten by all else.

After Hćedaht had been another wild dragon, this time a male, named Fŷlen (Fill-en). He was sea green, and was a normal territorial male.

Then came Sundancer. She was a yellow-gold and the second bonded dragon to hatch. But she was the first to be hatched and bonded to an Urgal. Miko happened to be the lucky ram. Miko was a rather shy ram, who lacked a thirst for blood, which was strange for his kind. Sundancer was very protective and powerful. She'd given plenty of scratches and bruises to many who had insulted or made fun of Miko. They'd traveled to Arya, who'd in turn sent them to Shur'tugal Fell and Eragon had trained them.

Then three more dragons had hatched in the same week. Pythön (who's scales resembled a python's skin pattern, thus his name) and Rubên (a ruby red male) had been the two wild ones. The other was Csthdor, who bonded to an elf who had come with Eragon to help in the training and guarding. The elf was Elkjin. Csthdor was a sky blue male.

These seven dragons had hatched within the first year of their being at Shur'tugal Fell. The only one of the seven to have known Fireclaw personally was Hćedaht. After that year, things went on slower.

More wild dragons had hatched, sensing that they weren't in harm's way anymore now that Galbatorix was dead. Over the next five years, 89 of the 217 wild dragon eggs hatched, many happening within months of each other. One that Eragon remembered particularly vividly was when two eggs had hatched the same day, at the same time. One was a blue, deeper than Saphira's, the other a creamy gray. Both were male and resembled each other very closely. Saphira had figured out that they had been from the same clutch and were indeed brothers. They had been called Ithar and Farthar. They were referred to as the twins.

The twins had been one of the few to remain at Shur'tugal Fell, along with Hćedaht and Pythön. During the fourth year of Shur'tugal Fell's existence, Hćedaht and Csthdor had become mates. Hćedaht had lain a clutch of 6 eggs of varying colors. The same year, Arya and Fírnen had visited for a few days. About a month after, Saphira laid her own clutch of 8 colorful eggs. The news of both clutches was received joyously across Alagaësia.

As for the Riders, all 26 of the eggs that had been hidden in the Vault of Souls had hatched and bonded over the first century, as well as 13 more that had come from various clutches, including 3 from Saphira's first clutch. The next 50 years leading up to this day had only brought two Riders, Fanûr (a dwarf) with Redstreak, and Yale (a human) with Blackfire.

Eragon watched the crowd mill around the five eggs he had brought with him, two of which were from Saphira's latest clutch, sired by Rubên. The others were from Sundancer, who had come back from Alagaësia with Miko to lay her eggs. So far, nothing of note had happened.

Saphira nudged Eragon's back with her snout. _There's a female who's trying to work her way up, but a few males won't let her._ Eragon, who'd been thinking about the dragons, glanced at the girl. They wanted to get as many people to touch the eggs as possible, to see if any would hatch.

"You four," Eragon spoke up suddenly, making the group jump. "Let the girl past." The boys glared at her, but moved aside, knowing not to mess with a Dragon Rider. Eragon watched her as she followed the line. Nothing happened on the first four eggs. But once she reached the fifth, the egg wobbled slightly at her touch. A tapping noise started to come from it. Then a loud crack followed by a large hole caught everyone's attention. The egg was a blue one of Saphira's. This would be her first bonded egg to hatch as well. The girl who was to become a Rider widened her eyes in shock.

After two minutes of violent wiggling, the dragon managed to get free of its hard encasing.

_A female,_ Saphira said, sniffing the air.

_And the same color as you,_ remarked Eragon.

_I see great potential in this hatchling,_ Glaedr, who'd come with them in the saddle bags, added.

The baby dragon immediately went to the girl, crawling up her body and stopping to rest on the girl's shoulders. It gave an appreciative coo.

"What is your name?" Eragon asked the girl, strongly reminded of when Ursula had become a Rider at these words, even though it had been so long ago.

"Nyna," the girl responded timidly. Eragon nodded and motioned for Nyna to follow him with Saphira's hatchling still on her shoulders. He gave her a boost into the saddle that adorned Saphira's back. He turned back to the crowd, but everyone else had already been through, and none of the other eggs showed signs of hatching. Eragon waved his arm and Blödhgarm gathered up the remaining four eggs safely. The rest of the villagers scattered, returning to their daily work or headed home.

Eragon turned to mount Saphira when he caught sight of on of the elves traveling with him arguing with a village girl. His keen senses picked up on their conversation.

"Please," the girl pleaded.

"No, you are not a Rider nor elf," the elf responded, attempting to turn away. The girl grabbed his arm, effectively stopping him. Eragon quickly approached them, reaching out with his mind to probe the girl's consciousness, as he sidestepped a few villagers. To his surprise, it was well guarded.

"What's going on?" he asked, reaching them. The girl quickly dropped the elf's arm.

"She wants to come with us back to Shur'tugal Fell," he explained.

"This village has no place for me," the girl elaborated. "I can do chores, cook, anything. Just take me away from here, Rider Eragon, please."

Eragon pondered her request for a moment. What was so bad about the village? _What do you guys think?_ Eragon asked Saphira and Glaedr. Saphira sent him an indifferent thought.

_Let her come,_ Glaedr said, much to his surprise. _It will be nice to have someone new to talk to._

"You can come," Eragon told the girl, much to the elf's annoyance.

Once all five of them had loaded up onto Saphira, she spread her wings. Pumping them hard, she gained altitude, buffeting the village below with wind gusts. They sped towards Shur'tugal Fell, Eragon thinking about what to teach Nyna first.

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**Author's Note: Sorry, there's a lot of dragons and people in that chapter. Not all of them will be vital to the story. **


	4. Bear Trouble

**Finally, we get the main charcter. Yes, Moonstone is the main charcater. Well, one of two. But I won't say who the other is yet.**

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**(Shur'tugal Fell, Eragon's P.O.V.)**

Eragon lead the girl to the kitchen. She looked around, impressed by all the ingredients lined up, drying, and stored.

"You said you could cook. I want to see your skills," he told her.

"What would you like me to make, Rider Eragon?"

"Just call me Eragon." She nodded meekly. "Surprise me. Oh, and what is your name?"

"Moonstone. My parents were a bit eccentric," she supplied. He laughed.

"Call me when you're done." With that, he turned and walked out of the kitchen.

Outside, Blödhgarm stood with Nyna and the blue dragon, still perched on her shoulder. Eragon lead her to her room.

"You'll be staying here. I'll leave you to get settled in. In an hour, I expect to see you in the Dragon Hold to meet your fellow students. You can observe them for today and tomorrow you may join them in their studies," Eragon summarized. Nyna nodded. He took his leave then. Blödhgarm was standing in the hall, waiting for him.

"Eragon, we've received distressing news," he started. Eragon glanced at the closed door of Nyna's room, and moved away a few paces, not wanting to upset her on her first day. He gestured for the elf to continue. "While we were at the village, Yale and Blackflame were flying and practicing maneuvers. They caught sight of Fireclaw."

Eragon gasped. The orange dragon had taken it hard when he lost Ursula. Harder than Eragon had expected, since even the dragon didn't really care for the girl. They had found her body broken off the side of the cliff one morning about a month after they'd finished Shur'tugal Fell, and Fireclaw was nowhere to be found. He'd gone out on Saphira searching for him and the Eldunarì had searched with their minds. They'd felt him, as well as his pain and frustration. But when they'd tried to contact him, he gave no sign that he'd heard them. Likewise, they never found him. After a few days, they'd given up searching, thinking he'd either die himself or be too crazy to be of much use to them.

But now, a century-and-a-half later, he'd been spotted again. Whether on purpose or accidentally, Eragon didn't know, and no one else seemed to, either. "Where?"

"They were flying out along the river that goes back to Alagaësia, and he'd come up out of the woods somewhere. Yale said that Fireclaw flew toward here, then turned around and went south. They lost sight of him as he went over another mountain."

"Could they tell if he was crazy?"

"Not from the distance they were at. But from the memory Blackflame showed me, Fireclaw was about the size of Glaedr before he died."

"Well it has been a while." Eragon pondered this a moment, before asking, "Do you think we should go look for him again?"

"I don't think another search would do any good. He hid from us before, and he wasn't even concentrating then. If he's sane now, we'd never find him."

Eragon nodded, then resolved to think about it later. At that moment, Moonstone came out with an apron on.

"Eragon? Do you know where any wild onions might be? The elves in the kitchen say we're out, so I was wondering if I could gather some," she said.

He nodded. "I know a good spot where there's wild plants like that."

"Good. I'll go get them."

"You have to go by dragonback." He was amused at her sudden hesitation.

"Oh," she said finally. "I guess we could go without them." She slowly turned back the kitchen.

"I'll have Saphira take us." Eragon said, making Moonstone stop and turn back.

"You'd do that? Thanks."

Eragon nodded and contacted Saphira. She winged her way to the cliff from hunting. Landing gracefully, Eragon bounded to her and leaped onto her back. He watched Moonstone climb on somewhat slower, not having the grace of an elf.

Once Moon was situated, Saphira pushed herself off the side of the cliff. She fell a few feet before her wings caught the wind and swelled up, ceasing their downward plunge. She pumped them a few times, propelling them forward and gaining altitude.

_Where are we headed?_ Saphira asked Eragon. He sent her a picture of a small meadow before a great waterfall.

_Remember this place? That's where._ Eragon felt Saphira turn a few degrees to the east. They continued on one path for a while, then Saphira started banking, pulling to a halt and settling her paws in soft meadow grass.

Eragon dismounted, then helped Moonstone down. She looked around, the roar of the waterfall masking any small noises. He gestured over to one side of the clearing, pointing to where some plants grew. Moonstone nodded and walked over to them. He watched her for a moment, then turned to Saphira.

_You feel something for her, don't you? _Saphira asked, their bond blocking out the sound of the waterfall.

_I don't know._ Eragon replied. He glanced back over at her. She was crouched down, picking a few of the vegetables. Her brown hair cascaded over her back, the sunlight making it have a golden sheen to it. He admitted she was pretty, but needed a good bath. And no one could replace Arya. Just thinking of the elf he loved made Eragon feel warmer and pleasant.

His train of thought came to an abrupt halt as he felt Blödhgarm enter his consciousness.

_Eragon, we have a problem, _the elf said. Eragon could feel his worry seeping through their connection.

_What is it?_

_Yale and Blackfire were practicing a fake fight against Fanûr and Redstreak. They raced toward each other and neither moved in time. They crashed, became entangled, and fell to the ground. We need your and Saphira's help NOW before one of the Riders is crushed to death._

Eragon cursed. Saphira had heard the conversation as well, so she didn't question him. He raced over to Moonstone. "We have to go back to Shur'tugal Fell. There's a problem. We'll come back and get you in a half an hour or so." Making sure Moon had understood him, Eragon turned and jumped back on Saphira. She took off way faster than she had coming to the meadow, buffeting the whole area with wind gusts.

Moonstone watched as Saphira flew out of sight, wondering what was wrong. Then she went back to picking the onions and carrots. She hummed a soft tune under her breath. A few minutes later, the pockets on her apron were full. Moon glanced around, wondering to do now. A loud crash from the woods caught her attention. A bear came lumbering down a trail that lead though the meadow.

Moon's breath caught in her throat. A bear was what had killed her parents. Since the day she had seen the creature tear at their throats and rip them apart she had terrified of them. She turned and ran blindly, her only thought was to get away the bear.

Now, running from a bear is very bad idea. Unless it just awoke from hibernation, bears normally don't go after people. But if one runs, they see it as prey and will give chase. Just like the bear Moon was running from. If she hadn't run, it wouldn't be chasing her.

However, Moon found herself running from a very angry brown bear. She had no idea where she was going and frankly, she didn't care. The meadow was long behind her, and trees were the only thing she could see in front of her. Moon made a sharp right turn, putting a few more feet between her and the bear. She emerged in another clearing and found herself with a bear behind her and an orange dragon in front of her.

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**I'm quickly running out of ideas. Anything would be appreciated. And, what does anyone think of the story so far? Please review!**


	5. Vegetarian Gumbo

**Sorry, its been a while. I was stuck with no internet for a week. :( Anywho, thanks to **ncisgirl4ever **for adding my story to their favorites list! On with the chapter!**

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**(A Meadow, Moonstone's P.O.V.)**

Moonstone didn't even hesitate. She just kept running. Granted, she went around the edge of the meadow to avoid the dragon. The bear seemed to not see the second beast, but it did catch scent of it. It paused for a second to scan the clearing and the orange beast was sighted. Footsteps made it remember that its prey was getting away. The bear also ignored the dragon and followed the human.

Moon's breath came in quick spurts. She knew that not all dragons were bad, but there were wild ones that weren't always friendly. She didn't know what to think of this one, other than to keep running. Her course brought her to the back of the dragon, and she stopped long enough to see where the bear was. It was on the other side of the dragon.

The dragon's head swiveled around to glance at her. Her eyes locked with its eyes and she could tell the beast understood she was afraid. It turned its gaze back to the bear and it spread its wings in a threatening manner. The bear stopped at the sight of a dragon challenging it. A small part of its mind told it to turn tail and run, but instincts took over and the challenge was accepted.

All that the dragon had to do was blow a flame at the stupid creature and singe its fur before it yelped and fled. Then the orange creature turned back to the human he had saved. He could see the fear in her eyes.

Moon gasped as she felt another presence enter her mind, and she could see all of that creature's thoughts. A memory of it chasing off the bear made her realize that this presence was the dragon she was facing.

_Are you okay?_ A voice in her head asked. It was masculine, and Moon figured that the dragon was a male.

"Yeah, thanks," Moon answered weakly. He nodded, a sight Moon found odd for a dragon to do. "Are... are you a wild dragon?"

_Yes, but I wasn't always,_ he responded. Now it was Moon's turn to nod, even though she was confused. The dragon must have sensed this, because he elaborated. _A had a rider once, but she is long gone._

Moon was remembering a time she had heard that when a rider or their dragon died, the other usually followed. She wondered why this dragon hadn't. A deep throaty noise made her return her attention to the dragon. He was chuckling.

_It was a forced bond. She wasn't my true rider, _he said. Moon started.

"You can hear my thoughts!" The dragon nodded again.

Then the sound of thuds that vibrated the air made its way to their ears.

_Eragon and Saphira are returning. I must go,_ he stated. Moon watched as he walked around her and started to disappear into the woods. _Please do not tell anyone I am here._

_Wait!_ Moon called, getting the hang of mind-speak. _What's your name?_

He looked back at her. _Fireclaw._ He severed the bond, leaving Moon alone in the clearing and in her thoughts.

Five minutes later, Moonstone found herself back in the first meadow, walking toward a waiting Eragon and Saphira. She noticed that the eldest rider studying her.

"Did you find what you needed?" he asked.

"Yeah. Your Vegetarian Gumbo will be a lot better now."

Eragon nodded in understanding and helped her back up on Saphira, wondering what the heck Gumbo was.

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**(Clearing, Fireclaw's P.O.V.)**

Fireclaw waited until he heard the drumming of wingbeats, signaling that Saphira had left, before unblocking his mind and standing up. He walked into the clearing where he'd scared off the bear and saw a blue speck shrinking as it moved away.

He had no idea why he'd told that girl everything that he did, but he knew that he couldn't have let the bear get her. He may be a wild dragon now, but he wasn't going to let a human get killed if he could do something about it. Not after he'd failed Ursula.

Spreading his wings, the sun went through them, shading the ground a fiery orange color. A few pumps and he cleared the tree tops. He made sure to stay no higher than that, lest that Eragon or Saphira spotted him and returned. The pine tree tops tickled his belly and small birds chattered as they flew away, scolding him for disturbing their homes. A minute later, he descended into yet another clearing. This one was at the base of steep mountain, and it held an opening to a cave-system that lead through the mountain for almost a mile.

Upon entering the cave system, Fireclaw took a sharp right, going into the cave-room that he called home. It was a dead end, the only exit being the entrance. It was also large enough to house him for at least another fifty years of growth. Stalagmites and stalactites adorned the far wall and the edges of the room.

Fireclaw curled up on the pile leaves he had gathered as a bed. He thought of the human he had met as he dropped off for a nap.

* * *

**(Shur'tugal Fell, Moonstone's P.O.V.)**

Moonstone carefully set the pot of gumbo on the table, between Eragon and Blödhgarm. She set a ladle in the pot and took a step back.

Eragon took the ladle and put one scoop into his bowl. He experimentally took a bite of it as the pot was passed around the table and slowly emptied. The tastes of the food danced around on his tongue. He tasted roasted vegetables as well as several spices and some kind of broth.

"Not bad, Moonstone," he complimented her as similar reactions rose from the others at the table. She smiled and took the now empty pot back to the kitchen to be washed. She brought out her dessert (rice cakes sweetened with ginseng) and they were almost inhaled by everyone.

Oh yeah, this was way better than the village.


	6. The Meeting Arrangements

**Author's Note: Sorry, it took me forever to get this story uploaded again. I seem to have lost my muse for it. For the next chapter, I will be changing the category to the book section, rather than the movie. It seems to fit there better.**

Alex: **Yeah, I know there's a lot of OC's. Only a few are important though.**

Guest: **Thanks. Here's another chapter for you.**

**(Shur'tugal Fell, Moonstone's P.O.V.)**

Moonstone woke and started at the ceiling. She'd been at the mountain for a few weeks now. Every night, Eragon would request a certain food, and she'd make it. There was a few times when he didn't like main course. The incident that stood out most in her mind, however, was her run-in with Fireclaw.

Sighing, she stretched and crawled out of bed. She has agreed to help the elves with breakfast this morning. Moon quickly dug through her few outfits and chose a simple shirt and pants. She had learned early on in life that skirts and dresses were useless unless you were a princess or a housewife. So she didn't own any. She quietly made her way down the hall, tip-toeing past Yale and Blackflame's room. Yale was not an early riser and would rip open anyone's throat if they bothered him.

In the kitchen, Moon was met by the sight of the elves already baking. She moved out of the way of one elf who was chasing a loose chicken around. The cage it had been in was open in the corner. The other elf was mixing some batter for pancakes on the counter. Hopï, the elf who was mixing the batter, looked up at Moon.

"Ah, Moon," she said in her lightly accented and musical voice. "As you know, tomorrow is Eragon's 168th birthday. He does not yet know, but we will be having a celebration. Will you make the cake?"

"Yeah. What does it need?" Moonstone replied easily. Hopï gestured to the counter where a bunch of ingredients and a recipe lay. Moon made her way over to them and began working.

A few hours later, the cake was made, the feast was prepared, and Moon had set the huge table outside of the hall. Hopï told her to go get Eragon and make sure he wasn't onto them. Moon left the kitchen and quickly went to Eragon's room, which was in a separate caving system. Saphira was outside of the door, napping. Hearing Moon's arrival, the blue dragon raised an eyelid.

Moonstone bowed, and Saphira moved her tail, allowing the human girl entrance. She quickly knocked on the door. It opened and she was facing a bleary-eyed Eragon. "Come," Moon said. "The elves need your help." Eragon blinked the sleepiness from his eyes and hastened to follow the girl.

Right before they hit the clearing, Moon stopped, looking back at Eragon. When he had caught up to her, she continued on. As soon as he had entered, everyone jumped up from their hiding spots and yelled "SURPRISE!"

Eragon wore a shocked look on his face for a moment, then laughed. "Really? You guys didn't need to!" There was something that showed through Eragon's normally constructed face at these words, and Moon thought she saw an almost youth carelessness. But it was gone a moment later, replaced with his normal joyful expression.

The party swirled off, taking up most of the day. Moonstone found herself contentedly full, snoozing by a fire that had been lit as soon as dusk had started falling. She was jolted awake, however, at the touch of a mind. She vaguely recognized it from a few weeks ago.

_Fireclaw?_

**(Cave, Fireclaw's P.O.V.)**

Fireclaw rolled over, adjusting his position for the fourth time in an hour. For some reason, he could not seem to get comfortable. His mind kept casting back to the girl he had met. A lonely feeling surrounded his heart. After he thought about it for a while, the orange dragon he had figured he was missing human company, strangely enough. He stood and stretched, realizing trying to rest was pointless. He shook off the dirt that was clinging to him, then headed out to feel the wind underneath his wing.

Once he was up in the air, Fireclaw found it was much easier to clear his mind. As he flew around, the dragon looked down upon his forest and watched the small creatures dart around, desperately trying to avoid become dinner. He could feel the terror that rang through the rabbit's minds, and the pain of a snake as one rabbit trod on it. His lip curled as he chuckled at the unusual feeling.

The feeling reminded him of one time, when he was only a few days old, resting in Ursula's room. She was dancing, and failing, too. He had just closed his eyes to try and get some sleep, when she had stepped on his tail and then tripped over him. _She'd have a hard time trying to trip over me now, _Fireclaw thought.

Thinking about the memory made him also remember what it was like to fly through the air with his partner on his back. Even if she had been a fake, he missed human company. That brought him back to thinking about the girl. He snarled, trying to cast out the thoughts and failing yet again.

Finally, the beast sighed, sending out a probe to where the girl's slightly familiar mind was.

_Fireclaw? _She asked.

_Yes. Would you like to accompany me for a walk? I seem to be missing human company, _he offered.

_Sure. When?_

_How about tomorrow at noon?_

_Sounds great. I'll meet you at the base of the mountain._

Fireclaw acknowledged her and then withdrew. He growled yet again, wondering when he would ever return to feeling normal.

**(Shur'tugal Fell, Moonstone's P.O.V.)**

Moonstone drew the cloak tighter around her and darted behind a tree. She hadn't told anyone that she had been going to meet Fireclaw. From the rumors she had heard, many of the residents of the academy thought he was deranged and unstable. For that reason, Moon felt it was necessary to keep their meeting private.

Making her way through the camp proved difficult, but once she had reached the narrow, winding path that lead to the base of the mountain, she allowed herself to breathe easier. She worked her way down the path, going slow to avoid plummeting to the bottom. It took her a half-hour to get to the bottom, but once she set foot on the flatter ground, the deep thundering of wingbeats reached her ears. They were far off, but getting closer.

She mentally prepared herself to face the 'deranged' dragon.

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**A/N: Anyone got ideas for this story? Review!**


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